Nick Reiner, the son of the late Rob and Michele Reiner, made a brief appearance in court. The 32-year-old, who was arrested last year in the murder case involving the death of his parents, appeared in a courtroom in Los Angeles as his case inches closer to trial.
© Michael BucknerNick wore a jail outfit made up of a yellow shirt and blue pants. His appearance in court lasted a few minutes, with his defense lawyer, Kimberly Greene, asking for another preliminary hearing date as her side is compiling more evidence. A judge asked Nick if he understood why his preliminary hearing was being delayed. "Yeah," said Nick.
Earlier this year, he was charged with two counts of murder in relation to his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, who were stabbed to death in their homes in December. Nick pleaded not guilty in February, waiving his right to a speedy trial.
His next court appointment is scheduled for at least September 15. According to Nathan Hochman, the L.A. County District Attorney, he's considering seeking the death penalty, even though a moratorium on the practice was instituted in 2019 by an executive order from Governor Gavin Newsom.
© GettyJake Reiner's emotional post and plea for compassion
Last week, Jake Reiner, Rob and Michele's eldest son, shared an emotional post on his Substack, describing the experience he's been living through as a "living nightmare."
"Sure, any loss of a parent is devastating, but nothing compares to losing both of them at the same time and, on top of that, having your brother be at the center of it. It’s almost too impossible to process," reads his post.
© Getty ImagesHe appears to have shared the post as the trial returns to the news and continues to develop. "I understand that people have questions about what happened. Some of those answers will come in time. But some parts of this belong only to our family, and keeping them private is the only way to protect what little remains of something that was taken from us."
"I just ask for love and compassion - the same principles my parents lived by."
Nick has struggled with mental health issues and drug addiction over the course of his life. According to NBC News, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia some years ago, and his medication was changed or adjusted before the killings of his parents. He was also being treated for a serious psychiatric disorder.
© Denise Truscello
